


The Inquiry

by metrofiction



Category: DCU, DCU (Comics)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-11
Updated: 2020-05-23
Packaged: 2021-03-01 02:49:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 12,049
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23108011
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/metrofiction/pseuds/metrofiction
Relationships: Karen Starr/Bruce Wayne
Comments: 11
Kudos: 29





	1. Chapter 1

The Watchtower ran in shifts, rotating through the ranks, and somehow accommodating various schedules. It helped that there was large roster to pull from, which spoke to the work that the League had done since its start. The newer members could only speculate what it had been like for the original six that had started the entire thing, the toll that it must have taken on their personal lives. 

Now it was much easier to trade a shift, although there was still work involved. The supercomputer had to accept your tradee as an appropriate match, as it wouldn’t be very fair to send someone without powers out on rotation with the possibility of coming across a cosmic foe. Unless you were Batman, of course. There were separate rules for him, and his "lack" of powers. 

Speaking of Batman… she’d finally tracked down the man who was easily the most infamous and yet the most enigmatic member. Alone, near the Supercomputer, staring at the screen as it moved through various pages of text and projections of data. 

Everyone approached Batman differently, some with absolute terror and only if they had to, others with caution and respect, and more of the older members with a level of familiarity that could only come with time and surviving more than one end of the universe event. 

After weighing her options during her sojourn of seeking him out, Karen settled on the notion of just being honest and yet also comfortable if he flat out refused her request. 

“Hi.” She stepped into the room, the short red cape that dangled from her back and left shoulder fluttering behind her. “Do you have a few minutes? I have something that I think could benefit from your expertise.”

The response came like it was a habit. A low, growling, “I’m busy.”

“Understood. When would be a better time, then?”

This time she got a short silence. “Let me finish this.”

Nodding, she moved further inside, taking up a lean against a nearby wall, not too close, but still within his sightline. …Unless the rumors were true, and Booster Gold hadn’t been lying when he’d claimed that Batman had a modified cowl that let him see a 360 view of his surroundings. In that case, she could really wait anywhere. 

Finally, he finished, and the screen went black before he turned to her, that grim expression still fixed in place. “I only have a short amount of time.” There was less of a growl this time around, and Karen decided that she’d find encouraging.

“Great.” Moving forward again, she took a breath. “I bought a company. I’m in the process of re-naming it, Starrware Industries, and after a few weeks I’m willing to admit that I’m way in over my head.”

“I’m not in the habit of just buying companies, no matter what every newspaper seems to think.”

“Hah, no…” shaking her head, she waved a hand. “No, I don’t have buyers remorse, it’s not that. It’s just that running it the way that I want? Doesn’t seem possible. I’m not trying to re-invent the wheel here when it comes to business, god knows others have tried …” Again, a wave of her gloved hand, somehow feeling as if the man was growing more irritated with each word. “I’m rambling, sorry

“What I’m trying to say is that I’m trying to do good things, or at least start up production, research, anything in the best way that can benefit that most, and I’ve come up against nothing but brick walls and people telling me how to cut corners and cheat the system. And I don’t want to do that. I don’t want to be LexCorp, I don’t want to look through the pockets of my potential employees for every last penny, I don’t want to give the least horrible product to people who need something, just because it cuts cost. Hell, I don’t even care if I make any money myself—“

“You just want to make it work so that it can actually help people.”

Karen blinked, pausing in mid stride from where she’d been pacing back and forth. Her gaze had slipped to her hands as they waved about, something she hadn’t been aware of. The growl was fully gone now. It wasn’t warm, but it sounded less… Batman.

“Yeah.” Her hands dropped to her sides. “But at the rate I’m going, and with the contacts that I have right now, that isn’t possible. I need direction. Direction from someone who’s done this before. Someone like you, Bruce.”

She’d never really heard anyone call him that, not anyone who wasn’t part of the early members of the League. Sure, Superman kindly told you to “Call me Kal!”, but the aura of mystery and whatever else that Batman seemed to exude didn’t make it feel like he was happily on first name basis with anyone. 

But she hadn’t come here looking for help from Batman. 

He’d gone quiet again, his gaze going distant, at least from the way that he turned his head away from her. “What are your plans on Tuesday?” he finally asked. 

“One staff meeting at 8am, but really so far my staff is just me and my personal assistant.”

“I’m going to assume you can make it to Gotham by noon, then. Without special travel accommodation.” Was that a joke?

Karen grinned. “Yeah. I can do that.”

“Good. We can speak then. Bring whatever you have so far from your attempts, and any other pertinent information. And be prepared for my butler to insist on feeding you.”

The chuckle slipped out, and she pressed the back of her hand to her lips. “Great. I’ll see you then.” A glance was thrown at the doorway. “Oh. Heads up. Booster’s lurking.” 

The growl came back instantly in the sigh that was let out. 

“Yeah. Good luck with that. Thanks, again.”


	2. Chapter 2

“It took me years to realize what you figured out in a few weeks.” Karen looked up from where she was plugging in her laptop. Bruce offered her a shrug at her questioning expression. “That it it was nearly impossible to do good and turn a profit in the way that everyone expects a business to run.”

“Oh!” Frowning, she opened the lid. “Yeah. It was a disheartening discovery for me, to say the least. I mean, listen, I didn’t go into this all starry-eyed and on a whim. I knew that I’d have to work my way through some obstacles.”

Bruce took a seat on the same side of the table as her, one leg crossed over the other. “The good news is that it’s no longer impossible. It’s still very difficult, however.”

“Oh phew.” Her smile returned, and she turned it his way. “And now I just have to wring the solution out of you, huh? Should we talk consultation fees before we begin this, or have I missed that part of the negotiation process?”

“You couldn’t afford me.” He’d meet her smile with a tight smirk. It was odd, seeing him like this, the figure was the same as Batman, a little less bulky without the armor, of course. But seeing Bruce without cowl and without BatGear? AND with a smirk? Interesting to say the least.

“Ah, damn.” Karen also sat, pulling up her chair and putting on a pair of glasses. Or getting them at least halfway to her face. “Oh. I don’t … I don’t really need these with you, do I?” A sidelong glance was cast his way. “You know that they’re just part of the civilian costume.”

“Wear them. Knowing Clark has taught me how important it is to get in that habit, to make it seem natural.”

“Thanks.” She started typing in her password. 

“And they suit you.”

Karen’s head tilted as she finished, but she didn’t quite look at him. “Really now.” A small silence fell between the pair as she pulled up a few proposals and contracts and then she’d launch into it. 

Whatever she’d been expecting from Bruce, from this opportunity, she was blown away by what he brought do it. Over the next few hours, he’d gone over each proposal, each attempted solution, and given insight. And not just a name dropped, a vague example given. Karen felt like she was going to set a world record for words typed in a minute, and she wasn’t even using her powers (expensive laptop and super speed was never a good mix). Bruce’s level of detail when it came to dancing around in the business world was astounding. 

And yet, it shouldn’t have been, really. Given all that Batman was capable of, why shouldn’t the man dubbed the Boy Billionaire have an incredible mind for this kind of thing. Maybe it was the fact that it never seemed to make the papers or news. Every Bruce Wayne-centric headline seemed to involve him and some crazy vacation stunt or him showing up to buy something priceless. OR crashing a party and becoming best friends with the host. 

She finally was able to pause in her typing, and reached for her cup of tea. Alfred had been shimmering in and out of the room at various times to refill both glasses and the teacake tray. “I have this terrible habit of coming off as rudely blunt when I’m trying to be honest. So if what I’m about to say next feels like that? By all means, let me know and I’ll try again.”

Bruce was shaking his head at Alfred’s attempt to refill his own cup of tea. “Really. People say the same thing about me.”

“Yes, but my costume doesn’t strike fear into the hearts of people at the mere flick of a cape.”

“I don’t think adding a chest window to my gear would help with that.”

Karen almost spit out her tea, the laugh that came out of her loud and sincere. “N-no but, I’m sure it would be memorable for anyone who saw it.”

Bruce gave her another smirk in return.

Wiping her eyes, she set down her teacup after a healthy sip. “For starters, I didn’t expect to be invited here.”

Again, she’d get a shrug. “I would have visited your offices, but I tend to make headlines where I go, and I didn’t think rumors of Wayne Enterprises buying Starrware would be helpful.”

“Fair point.” She looked at him next. “I also expected you to hand me off to someone else. I didn’t think I’d get” A gesture at her now VERY length document on her computer, “to tap into one of the most brilliant minds when it came to business.”

He visibly shifted in his chair, nodding slowly. 

“I mean, I knew that the Brucie Wayne thing was an act, but—“ She cut herself off, lifting a hand. “Hang on, I’m getting to that blunt place again…”

“It’s fine.” Bruce’s voice was softer now. “It’s not something that I talk about much on the Watchtower. And you’re correct, I could have given you a very lengthy list of of people to talk to, Lucius Fox’s name at the top of it. Business acumen is not something that I’m known for, in or out of the cowl.”

Karen watched him for a moment, the curiosity in her stirring up. “Why hide it then? I mean … I know why, out there,” a gesture at the window in the direction of the not so distant Gotham City. “But why other places?”

He sat back, eyes fixed on her, as if he was assessing something. “It’s not useful when I’m Batman, and it’s not useful when I’m the man in the society pages.”

“But it’s still very useful.”

“Yes.”

Well, that was kind of an answer. Bruce didn’t look like he’d be elaborating on this anymore, so she took the hint and asked the next question on her mind.

“Why sit down with me, then?”

This time a small smile formed. “Because you approached me honestly. And I remembered what it was like to do this. Like I said, it was years before I realized the corruption that was infesting my company. I was so focused on other things that I let it slip past me for far too long. When I did realize it, it was long time before I truly felt like Wayne Enterprises was something to be proud of again. But there’s no sense in making you go through all of that with Starrware.”

She returned his smile with one of her own. “Thanks.”

“Master Bruce, I sadly must inform you and your guest that you had made a request to remind me you at this time that you wished to prepare for this evening a bit early.” 

Her eyes found the nearby clock, my god, it was 4pm already?

Bruce stood, nodding at Alfred. “Thank you.” Turning to Karen, he started to apologize, but she quickly flashed him an understanding smile. 

“It’s fine, everything you’ve told me I’ll need a few days to deep process anyway and then come up with a way to spin it to my assistant … and not make it seem like I came up with it on my own and didn’t get it from someone else…”

The smirk returned to Bruce’s face. “Playing dumb rich person is my thing,” he said, before draining his cup and handing it to Alfred. “So tread carefully or I’ll sue you for impersonation.”

“Oh believe me, I’d have to swim in a lot of hotel pools before I reached your status. Thanks again, Bruce.” She paused as she packed up the laptop. “Oh … be extra safe out there, tonight.”

He gave her his own look of surprise. “Beg pardon?”

“I assume whatever Batman has to plan early for is extra dangerous.” Slinging her bag over her shoulder, Karen met his eyes before heading out the door.

“She is astute in that assumption, sir.”

Bruce’s voice dropped a bit, the pre-growl setting in. “She is. In more ways than one. Is the jet ready?”

“Yes, sir. As is your improved armor.”

“Good.” Bruce turned and moved for the door nearest the library, his posture already straightening into that of The Bat.


	3. Chapter 3

The paper was dropped on her desk the next day by her assistant, Simon. “Thanks for not opening this place up in Gotham City,” he quipped before next setting down her coffee. 

Pulling the paper to her, and over the stack of folders on her desk, Karen frowned down at the Gotham Gazette headline: CAPED CRUSADER CURTAILS SCARECROW ATTACK. “Yeah. Thanks, Simon, give me about an hour to get ready to go over this with you. Can you start looking over those new applications?”

“Sure thing, Miss Starr.” Simon looked at the paper again. “The headline is misleading, I think. I mean, sure he stopped that guy, but not after an apartment was gassed.”

“Right…” Simon was half right, the article went on to lay out the details that were known so far; Jonathan Crane had escaped months ago from Arkham, laid low to formulate a plan that involved piping in fear gas into a lower class section of Gotham. The full plan had been to spread the toxin through the entire neighborhood, spanning across and through several large apartment complex’s. He’d managed to start in one small one before Batman had arrived. 

“So this is why you left early.” Dropping the paper, Karen sat back in her chair, pondering over the man she’d known up on the Watchtower, and the man she’d met in Wayne Manor. It was interesting to ponder over where Bruce Wayne and Batman overlapped, besides being the same person, of course. Bruce was less stoic outside of the cowl, and focused on things like his business, although discretely. She wondered if that playboy persona he was famous for made it easier for him to discern that type of thing. No one pays much attention to a buffoon when they think he’s one. 

And the fact that he managed to do so much with Wayne Enterprises, and keep up with the unique mishmosh of villains that Gotham seemed to pump out on a regular basis? Her already high respect for the man jumped even higher. 

Tapping a finger against her cheek, she thumbed through the rest of the paper with her free hand, skipping over to the society section. And here was the other side of him, the society boy that couldn’t go a few days without making a headline. Here, Bruce was rumored to have been seen with a new supermodel, the gossip column speculating on the fact that he’d been seen in the same hotel. Tonight, he was supposed to appear at a charity function at a museum. 

So that made for three personas that made up this man. Batman, Brucie Wayne and somewhere in the middle, Bruce himself. That was a lot to handle, a lot to keep track of, even if you had billions and butler. Karen tried to picture being in a fear toxin combat zone, up to your elbows in screaming, terrified citizens of Gotham, all ages, the police, and who knows what else … And then having to show up the next day at a party, all smiles and charm?

‘I can’t even imagine what kind of psychological toll that would take on a person,’ she mused to herself, pushing the paper away. She’d only barely dipped a toe into the “alternate identity” thing, so far it had been nothing like that. Really, no one knew who Karen Starr was anyway. Power Girl, sure, but Karen hadn’t stepped out into the limelight yet. She’d have to, eventually, when the plans that Bruce had helped spark into creation began. 

The thought of having to balance all of this seemed easy enough, but now, looking at what Bruce had to go through… Sighing, she set the paper aside, focusing back on the folders. While she’d felt nervous about asking Bruce for business help, asking him about how to manage the two identity thing felt like stepping over a boundary. However he was handling it, if he was handling it, it felt like it might be a violation of a tentative trust the two had with each other. 

Right, so they’d stick to business. Maybe she’d bug Kal instead about this. He seemed to have it down pretty well, life as a reporter and then as Superman. But even so, the emotional load seemed vastly out of proportion between the pair. Kal had less to worry about when it came to his physical self, and he also wasn’t in the spotlight like Bruce was. 

“Miss Starr?” Simon poked his head back into the room. “Someone just dropped this off for you.” He carried in a small vase, filled with lilacs. 

Karen blinked at the gift and then found the card. “Remember, you have a better head start than I did. Don’t give up hope, and call me if you need another consultation. I’ll waive the fee again.” She laughed softly and then looked up at Simon’s puzzled face. “Just someone congratulating me on stepping into all of this,” she said, waving a hand around at the office. 

Simon nodded once, and left again, and Karen looked over the card again. Fighting crime, going to charity soirées, running a successful business, and managing to send flowers the day after their meeting? ‘Putting us all to shame, Bruce. Especially those of us with powers.’


	4. Chapter 4

The problem with powers was that there was a stubborn bunch out there who thought that being blessed by them gave them permission to run amok, without a care given to anyone else. The even bigger problem was that there were so many of them and so many varieties of powers. 

Karen’s powers ran along the lines of your standard Kryptonian fare: enhanced strength, speed, flight, powered by the sun (kinda), and a handful of other useful ones. Being from a different earth, she considered herself not quite the Standard Kryptonian, as at times, even her strength had rivaled Superman’s. Not that the Super’s were really into “who is stronger than who” contests, there were other things to focus on. 

Like this new to the villain scene guy calling himself “The Crusher”. This guy liked to smash things, apparently, and was pretty good at it, considering he hadn’t been on the League’s radar before. Karen and her team partner was not having an easy time of it, as they battled him in downtown Austin, Texas. 

Over the com link, came Flash’s update, “He’s not staying down when I trip him up, he’s just getting angrier.”

Karen was getting up from the small crater that she’d landed in, after being unceremoniously tossed aside by Crusher. “Jay… I think we need a change of tactic, he’s causing too much damage on impact. It’s not just powers… something’s hitting me back when I hit him, and it’s not him—just keep him distracted alright?”

“As you say, Power Girl…” The man in the helmet zipped forward into a flash of light and buzzed about the Crusher, staying just out of range. 

This was magic, she was sure of it. Fate had described this sort of thing once, in that vague way he always spoke. Something about the foe who takes your energy and uses it against you.

Hitting wouldn’t work … but this might. Taking on a burst of her own speed, she raced towards their foe, Flash neatly darting out of the way of one of his enhanced fists, and the momentum of the miss made Crusher fall backwards, straight into Power Girl’s arms. 

She rocketed upwards, taking a gamble about the limitations of this magic, betting that it focused only on strength … And not on keeping hungry lungs from needing oxygen rich air. 

Another perk of being Kryptonian, you could leave the lower atmosphere with very flew problems. However, for Mr. Crusher, he was caught off guard by the maneuver … and soon unconscious as he blacked out from lack of oxygen. 

Touching back down, Karen slumped and let the villain slide from her arms, where Flash was waiting. Jay peered at the man, shaking his head. “Clever trick, that. How’d you know that would work?”

“I didn’t.” She grinned up at him, still feeling a little tired from when she’d been magically tossed the last time. “Took a gamble.”

“A gamble that worked.” The stoic voice of Batman came over the com link. “And with minimal damage to yourself, your surroundings and him. A dropship is coming to collect him.”

She’d make the trip up with her acquired target, the Flash left back down on Earth to zip away and be on duty with another team. 

Batman met her at the containment facility deep within the Watchtower, and unlike almost everyone else she’d passed on the way there, he didn’t react to the fact that she had Crusher slung over her shoulder like a sack of potatoes or a passed out child. “Magic, that’s my verdict. Nothing on him that was obvious that could be emitting something, like a boost. No tattoos, amulets, hidden carvings in his bones…”

“Don’t believe everything you hear from Constantine.” Batman typed in a code and a containment cell door slid open.

Carefully depositing him, she stepped back out and shook her head. “No, I know better. Doctor Fate told me about that one. Rare but there’s been one case he’s known of.” Gesturing at the unconscious form, she continued, ticking things off on her hands. “Hits hard, well you can see that from the security footage, but every time I hit him, it was like he hit me back with all of that energy plus some. Not a meta human, nothing odd about his DNA, although magic wouldn’t change that…in good physical shape for a guy his age, though he might need his appendix out—“ She cut herself off, looking embarrassed. “Sorry. Forgot we had machines for this type of thing.”

“No. It’s good. You never know when you can’t get back here and have to do an assessment.”

“True.” Planting a hand on her hip, she brushed her hair back with a flick of her free hand. “Ok, one final thing, he has a few broken and healed bones.”

“Hnh. How recently healed?”

“Finger bone is old, arms have little fractures left in them, but they’re tiny.” She looked back at the body and then blinked. “Ah. Strike that, they’re ….gone now. Huh. That’s weird.”

“Magic. We’ll turn this over to Fate.” Batman typed in another code and the light above the now locked cell turned grey. Each cell would be color coded in this way to let others know what type of individual they were dealing with. Grey was magic, and could only be unlocked by a select few. 

“That settles that, then.” Picking at her costume, she determined it was time for a repair and a cleaning. “You want me back out there? Ja—Flash is still on duty with another group.” 

“No. You’re done until your next scheduled shift.”

“Great. Then I’m going to get a shower and fix this.” Again she picked at a spot near her hip, where the costume had started to tear upwards. 

He’d already turned back to the nearest console, and was working again. 

She’d hesitate and then finally spoke up again. “Thank you. For the delivery and the card.”

“Of course.” More typing.

Right. He was in Batman mode, not Bruce Wayne mode. Turning she headed for the door and the lockers, when he spoke again, making her pause. 

“I was serious about the offer for another meeting. Please call when you feel you need one.”

Oh. So maybe there was overlap between modes…? “Of course! I’ll call you as soon as I finish things up on my end.”

He nodded once, and then was focused back once more, leaving her to her post battle routine.


	5. Chapter 5

The small staff that had been hired so far had been in for a few weeks of orientation and training, and then was rewarded with a few days off. Karen had explained her reasoning. “I want you to be excited to work, but I also want you to be rested. Get into a routine, get prepped and then you’ll come back here on Monday ready and raring to go.”

There hadn’t been many complaints, except for a smattering of protest from Simon. She could already sense that his great work ethic might be pushed to the limits if he didn’t learn to delegate and get rest himself. The guy was there before she was and had insisted on staying until she left, until she’d politely put her foot down about all of the unpaid overtime he was technically working. It wasn’t that she couldn’t afford it, but again, she wanted longterm workers with moderate work schedules, not go getters with good intentions that would burn out in less than a year under the strain.

While the staff enjoyed the few days off, she’d still come into the offices, alone, to prep for her guest. Bruce had made a good point about making headlines wherever he went. So getting everyone out of here on Thursday now served dual purpose: Rest and to be able to sneak him in. 

Brucie Wayne notoriously arrived at least an hour late almost everywhere he went, but Bruce was up in her top floor office fifteen minutes before she’d asked him to come. 

“The decorators haven’t gotten in here yet,” was his first observation at the somewhat sparse furniture in her private office.

“Uh… they have but I’m not letting them do work here until Monday. We had a long meeting about ‘warm offices’ and ‘welcoming layouts’, trust me.”

Bruce smirked. “I think I’ve met that designer. Did they at least offer up anything you found useful?”

“Honestly?” She leaned agains the edge of her desk, tying her hair up in a ponytail. “I sort of zoned out after while. My assistant took notes.”

“Just don’t let them theme it.”

She laughed, shaking her head. “Ohhh no, trust me, I’ll go shopping at IKEA myself if that idea starts getting floated around.”

Bruce moved around behind the desk, looking over the folders. “Did they talk to you about personalizing your desk?”

Karen’s light demeanor shifted slightly. “…Y-Yeah. We talked about putting up photos of friends and family and that I should bring all of those things in here.” 

Bruce would note the tone in her voice as it went softer, looking up with frown. “I see.”

“And I’m afraid as far as photos goes, this is all I had.” Her hand reached under a file folder, pulling out a framed photo of herself and a large, fluffy orange cat. “I didn’t really think about this part, I’m afraid. The part where I have to think of what I’m going to say when people ask about my past, my family, and who Karen Starr is besides the owner of a company.” She groaned and put her face in her hands, the frame now resting on top of the folders. 

“So then let’s talk about that.” 

Rubbing her face, she then waved a hand. “No, that’s my problem to sort out, I’m not going to waste your time--“

“Karen. It’s not a waste of my time.” Bruce rounded the desk again, and took a seat. “I know a little something about forming another identity.”

She regarded him for a silent minute and then also sat. “I mean … to be honest? Before I had this idea to start this company, I hadn’t really planned on being Karen Starr.”

“Just Power Girl.”

“I looked into living on the WatchTower or in the JSA Hall but everyone told me I shouldn’t do that. That you needed someplace other than work to live. Seemed unnecessary, though. I only had work, why not stay close to it?”

“I used to sleep in the Cave until Alfred put his foot down.” Bruce had a wry look on his face now, as if recalling an unfortunate memory. 

She grinned. “How’d you take that kind of ultimatum?”

“Not well. But he spoke to the fact that I needed to separate what I did under the cowl from what I did outside of it.” It was his turn to go silent for a minute. “He said I was disappearing, into either Batman or my playboy persona. But more into Batman.” It looked like there was more to the story, but she didn’t want to push it.

Instead, she looked at her hands, mulling something over. “You said before, when I mentioned that I hadn’t planned on being Karen Starr, that I’d planned on being Power Girl. But that’s not who I was before.”

Bruce looked at her and realization came over his face. “You were Supergirl.”

“Yes. But this place, it already had a Supergirl, and it didn’t seem right to take that name. So I picked a new one, and figured I’d just go with that.”

“Who do you want Karen Starr to be known as?”

She looked at him, surprised by the question, as if for the first time really considering it. “I don’t … really know….”

He gestured to her. “Take a stab at it. Think about what you’d want a reporter to write about you if they were doing an interview.”

Pondering this, she again went quiet as she thought. “Someone who cares about her staff. Encourages them to work hard and be good people.”

“Outside of work, more personal.” 

“Oh … ah… someone who loves her cat, despite how much he yowls…” A faint smile from Bruce gave her some encouragement to continue. “Ahh… Likes comedies, popcorn with butter, lots of butter… someone who keeps telling herself that she’ll read more and yet still hasn’t, yet…” Bruce nodded, gesturing for her to keep going. “Hates going clothes shopping until she’s actually trying on the clothes, I just don’t like pushy salespeople, really… Every once in a while, I get this weird craving for the strangest pizza, and no I will not be sharing what goes on it, it’s too embarrassing….”

Sitting up, Bruce met her eyes. “That’s a good start, and very personal. It feels genuine, and I assume that’s because it was, yes?”

“Yeah. ….Please don’t ask me what the topping is.”

Snorting, he shook his head. “I won’t. But what you need to understand is that you have more than a good start here. And unlike me, you don’t have to fake it. I’m glad you don’t, as it can be exhausting.”

“Supermodels and jetlag, you mean?”

“No, the insincerity.”

“Oh.” She winced, visibly. “Sorry.”

He tilted his head at her. “Don’t be. Brucie Wayne is not someone to be admired, he’s a persona and a terrible one. Someone I wouldn’t want to know if we were two separate people. But Karen Starr? She’s someone worth knowing, and worth getting to know more, considering what you’ve told me so far.”

“But that’s just… me.”

“Yes. And I stand by my statement.” He held her eyes, and she felt her cheeks warm. 

“Well. That… helps, quite a bit, thank you.” Feeling odd, she reached for the photo of her and the cat again. “I guess it’s fine that this is all I have for now. Because it’s the truth.” And maybe there was more truth to Karen Starr than she’d realized.


	6. Chapter 6

Hardly anyone talked to him while he was aboard the Watchtower. Bruce didn’t make it a daily habit of being transported up to the remote station, as Gotham kept him busy. Even with extra help from the other costumed vigilantes within the city, his sense of guilt of leaving it always reappeared when he strayed out of the city limits. 

He preferred the silence, it gave him better focus, less chit-chat to take his attention away from whatever he was working on. There was less time spent up here now that the roster was larger. There were others to step into certain duties, but he still found the need to do a few things himself. Better that way, he reasoned, it didn’t pull anyone off duty, and he was capable of handling it. 

Only Clark approached him with a great deal of familiarity, so much of it that Bruce was half annoyed by it. It made the others on the League, the ones that didn’t talk to him, exchange looks, stunned at the casual way that Superman spoke to Batman, like longtime friends. 

They were, of course, friends. Of a kind. Friends in Batman’s world were a dangerous thing, as they could be collateral if a clever, unkind someone put the pieces together. He told himself the only reason he even called Clark a friend was because the man was nigh indestructible, barring Kryptonite. It was “safe” to be friends with Clark, even if he found his persistent sunny attitude unsettling.

He supposed the same friendship could be said of himself and Diana, although he found her unsettling in other ways. While Clark’s positivity and smiles were strange in one way, Diana’s often otherworldliness made him feel the same way. At one point, he thought it might have been arrogance, but no, Diana, like Clark, was anything but arrogant. He finally settled on it being how much “older” she was, and not in the age sense. She was a being that stepped out into this world from a time that felt, to Bruce, as old as time itself. He admired her for her strength, her focus and her bravery. But there was something else in that voice, in those eyes when they turned to you, something that so ancient and vast that it seemed to see through a person. And he preferred to stay hidden behind masks and kevlar. 

Finishing his work, he was already itching to get back down planetside, to check in with the others, to get back to the other work. Bruce stood, turning the console’s screen off after it had cleared of any traces of him being there. The files were encrypted and their tiny storage unit carefully tucked away in his belt. He’d go over them later at the Cave, if time allowed for it. 

The figures that he passed on his way back to transport either avoided his gaze, turned down another hallway, or just nodded. He moved along silently, nothing indicating that he really saw any of them, although everyone knew, or assumed that the Dark Knight saw everything. 

Then two figures appeared in his view when he turned a corner, both women. Black Canary was in her usual outfit of a mixture of dark denim and leather, making the other woman stand out from them. Power Girl was also a foot taller than her hall mate, and was turned at an odd angle, Canary close by and examining behind her. 

“I swear, it ripped in the same damn place again.” Her fingers trailed over the torn fabric that was once again now going up the side of her costume, near the back of her leg.

“Yeowch. That’s a good rip. You may want to stabilize that part of it.”

“Yeah, or get tossed on my ass less.”

“You going to make that request to the next big lunkhead that you square off with?”

“I was thinking about it.”

“At least it’s a nice looking ass.”

Snorting, Power Girl straightened up, pulling her cape back down over the tear … and then spotting Batman. “….Heyyyyy.”

Canary also looked up and covered her laugh with a hand. “Ahem… you got any thoughts on this conversation, Bats?”

“Possibly.”

Canary let out another laugh, unable to contain it this time. “The ass or the tear?” Power Girl felt her cheeks flush, and was glad to see Canary missed it.

Ignoring the question, Batman continued walking. “The Watchtower files have several files on suggested armor and protective combat wear, including improvement. All are available to all League members,” he finished as he passed them, cape swirling.

“Yeah, but how good are they?” Canary called after him, still grinning. 

“Considering I wrote them all…” He reached the hydraulic lift and stepped inside, finally facing them again. “They’re very good.” The lift’s door closed with a hiss, leaving the pair alone again. 

Was it her imagination, or had there been a hint of a smile on his face at that last bit? Power Girl dragged her thoughts back to Canary. “Guess I’ll go brush up, then.”

“Yeah and hope he covered how to cover your ass better.” Canary moved away towards another lift, and again missed the light pink that once again covered her cheeks. 

Her League comm pinged with a non audio message: ‘Form cut kevlar sewn up along the seams will stabilize them. The kevlar will be of lower ballistic protective quality, but it won’t matter given your powerset. It’s important that it flexes and also absorbs shock, but doesn’t restrict your movement.’

Brushing her hair back from her face, she thought a moment and then set a message back: ‘Greatly appreciated. I’ll look into it in the League files and see if the armory can create it.’

There was no reply, but perhaps the conversation was understandably over. She had work to do, after all. 

On the dropship, Batman tucked away the League comm, and closed his eyes. The trip to and from the Watchtower never made him sick, but he felt the need to refocus as he returned to Earth. Returned to Gotham. This was his routine. 

Something else crept into his mind as he descended, the young woman that he’d just sent the messages to. To almost anyone else, the conversation would have ended after the lift door had closed. To almost anyone else, he’d never have agreed to offer his own direct help with her inquiry. To almost anyone else, he’d have made some outside arrangement, or directed it to someone else. And barring an emergency, or if he considered them a friend or family, he never invited them to the Manor, or made the trip to them himself. Selfish, perhaps, but again, he was busy. There was work to be done, a focus that had to be held. 

A focus that was only broken for emergencies, friends, family …… or the rare _something else._ Bruce exhaled as the drop ship reached Earth. His booted feet stepped out into the lit hallway of the League’s hidden entry point. The something else he’d have to address, after much thought. But for now, Gotham was waiting.


	7. Chapter 7

If Karen thought that decorators were a tough bunch to wrangle and deal with, she was in for a surprise when it came to party planners. Corporate party planners, it seemed were a breed all their own, and the “CorpSpeak” that they spoke almost nonstop was almost like a completely foreign language. How someone could say “Hospitality Vectoring” like it was an actual thing was beyond her. 

Thank god for Simon and the rest of the team that she’d slowly been amassing. There were people with years of experience under their belts, and they helped dodge the truly crazy ones. She was starting to think of opening a new business was like dunking a bucket of chum in the ocean and yelling “C’MON SHARKS, LET’S GO!” It seemed to attract everyone and anyone the more word got out. 

But she’d been keeping her vision clear, and had gotten proud of how easily she’d politely interrupt someone who was going off on a crazy tangent with a firm “Let’s refocus, alright?” Bruce had taught her that, and she’d taken it to heart. It was so easy to get sidetracked, she realized, so caught up in the details like fonts and accent colors that you’d either drive yourself crazy or lose complete sight of what you were trying to achieve. 

And she’d been making sure her growing staff knew when to let her and their supervisors know when they were either overwhelmed, confused, or concerned. She was so proud of them, and despite the chaos, feeling pretty good about it all. Credit was due to Bruce, for his help, although she’d tried to ease off leaning on him too much. Only when she couldn’t find a solution on her own had she picked up the phone and made a call. And they were fewer and far between in the months that had passed from that first meeting. 

Speaking of Bruce, of course, he’d been invited to this launch party. Not only to thank him, but to show him what he’d had a hand in creating. Even if Wayne Enterprises wasn’t directly involved, she felt he had a right to feel like he was part of this team too. 

It came as a bit of a surprise when she realized a few weeks later, looking over the RSVP list with Simon, that he wasn’t included. Oh. Had she over-assumed their friendship? Or perhaps she’d taken up too much of his time already with all of this. Not his business, not his problem? Or was there something stewing in Gotham that he was once again in deep preparation for?

Come to think of it, she hadn’t seen him on the Watchtower in awhile. She was certain he wasn’t mortally injured or worse, there would have been news of it from someone like Kal or Diana. 

_‘He’s just busy,’_ she told herself, handing the list back to Simon and then returning to her office. And she repeated this to herself several times before she finally gave up and picked up the phone. 

“Master Bruce is away at the moment, Miss Starr. But I am more than happy to relay whatever request you have.” Somehow, Alfred always managed to sound both professional and warm, a combination she wished she could master. 

“No requests this time, but ahh… I just wanted to make sure he got the invitation to Starrware’s launch party.”

There was a longer pause than usual before Alfred spoke again. “He has, Miss Starr, however, while I remind him of his schedules, private and otherwise, he insists on formulating them himself.”

Embarrassment flooded her, and she needed to end this call right here and now. “Right, sorry, sorry, I’ll … Thank you, Alfred. I … I hope the weather’s nice in Gotham. Thanks again.”

“You’re very welcome, Miss Starr.” 

Hanging up, she put her face in her hands. There it was, the answer she’d been looking for. Bruce wasn’t coming and she’d overstepped the friendship. Batman/Bruce was a professional, and she’d overestimated how much this would have meant to him, like an idiot and —

“Karen?” Simon’s voice came through on a speaker on her desk. “We have the caterer here with samples for the party.”

“I’ll be out in a few, just finishing something up.” She hoped that her voice wasn’t trembling. What she was certain of was how red her cheeks were. 

_‘Deep breaths, deep breaths… you probably aren’t the first to do this with him, anyone would get a little starstruck if they had him giving them attention. It was … a mistake. Just accept that. Focus on the party, on the launch and what you’re doing here. Focus, Kara.’_

It took a little while but eventually the redness did go away, and joined in with the rest of her staff as they excitedly chowed down on the samples. They were delicious, she was glad for that. The party, which was a week from today, was set to go. That she was confident about, along with the business that would be focus that evening. When it came to other things, she lacked that confidence. 

The phone call came late that night, and she was still at Starrware when she took it in her office. The number made her take a lengthy pause before she finally answered. “Hello, Bruce.”

“Alfred informed me of your call, and the subject at hand.”

Right, straight to the point, she could do that. “Yeah, and I know your schedule is hectic and probably already filled for the year. It’s fine if you don’t have the time.”

“It’s not a matter of time availability.” 

“Ah, ok then.” _Awkward, awkward, awkward…_ he just didn’t want to come, again that was fine. She’d accept her bruised feelings and remind herself that this wasn’t a friendship, but a—

“How quickly can you come to Gotham?”

“Uh…. five minutes?”

“I’ll meet you in the courtyard.” A pause. “Make it ten, I’ll need a little time to get upstairs.”

“S-Sure. See you in a few, Bruce.” Ending the call, she started off at nothing, trying to process. What was going on?


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **_  
> Author's note: I feel like I'm treading on some potentially controversial ground here with who "Brucie Wayne" is, and Bruce's explanation of who this man is._ **
> 
> **_I know that in other interpretations, Batman's alter has been played up as more on the dumb side, flirty, but respectable possibly. Just another dumb grown man with too much money that the public probably loves to hear the antics of._ **
> 
> **_In the instance of this work, this Bruce has gone to great lengths to put greater distances between the "admirable" traits between his alter and Batman. He realizes, grudgingly, that while there is something to be gained from others admiring his work as Batman, there is a danger in admiring the lifestyle that Brucie Wayne has._ **
> 
> **_There's a very large difference in the word's between the 1% and the latter, and I think that over time, he'd would become acutely aware of that, especially given what he's seen as Batman in Gotham._ **
> 
> **_In his mind, billionaires shouldn't exist, they're mostly parasites, and while there are ones that do in fact do good work, the praise they receive softens the harsh reality of what they represent: controlled wealth and progress by a very small few. So he'd play up his persona as just another terrible rich man, nothing to admire. Behind the scenes, and without Brucie Wayne's name attached, is where he helps the citizens and city of Gotham, outside of the cowl._ **
> 
> **_I hope this makes sense, thanks for reading.  
> _ **

“Shouldn’t you be … out right now?” She asked when she arrived. It was already dark and here he was, standing sans cape and cowl. 

“I have others taking tonight.” Bruce’s expression was a mixture of many things, amusement and a grimace for certain. “They … _insisted_ I need a night off.”

Wow. She’d never really met the other members of the famous Bat-Clan, but she could imagine that it might just take an entire team of people to convince Batman to take a night off. 

“I can be out in the city if things get chaotic,” he said, and she wondered who that explanation was for, her or to reassure himself. 

“Of course.” She followed as she was lead inside, but this time it wasn’t to the massive kitchen they’d used last previously. Instead, Bruce detoured, taking them into another section of the manor. They ended up in a long hallway, the walls on either side of the space filled with painted portraits. Family, she assumed, spotting some familiar facial features on a few, in regards to her host. 

“My father and I used to play a game where we’d start at one end of this hall and I’d name each person in each picture as we passed. And, something unique about them. I didn’t get very far at first, but eventually, I’d made it down the entire hallway as I got older.” 

She took in the long hallway, and smiled as she tried to imagine tiny Bruce, staring up at these long gone relatives, and reciting facts. “Krypton had something—“ She cut herself off, feeling a pang of sadness as the memories trickled back. Taking a breath, she continued. “Each family had their own crystals, with projections of each family member who had passed on. Older families had thousands of them, each crystal representing one of their bloodline, and each speaking the wisdom they wanted to leave behind.”

Bruce had paused, watching her as she had stopped and then continued on with her explanation. “Generations of wisdom,” he said, staring up at a portrait. “It’s daunting to think about, but reassuring somehow.”

“Yes.” They continued walking in their own silence, until they had reached the end, where the newest portraits were. Karen stopped when he did, in front of the painted portrait of a man, a woman and a young boy. _Oh. Oh this was…_

“I think the purpose of the game was to instill in me a respect for the Wayne family. While each member might not have made waves with their time on this planet, there was still something unique to remember about each. And it was important to remember them, and not just let them be dusty pictures lining a family manor.” Bruce’s chin lifted, his eyes looking up at the man and the woman. “Everyone leaves a legacy, small or large.”

Her attention was pulled to the boy standing between them, solemn but bright eyed, eyes like his mother’s, chin and nose like his father’s. 

“My legacy would have shamed them.” Bruce’s voice was sharp, and low. 

Karen’s gaze darted up to him, surprise. “Bruce… I can’t imagine that they’d—“

“My public legacy,” he clarified, meeting her eyes. “The idiot offspring of the most well respected man and woman in this city. The boy billionaire that wastes his family fortune on leisure and doesn’t care about anything but himself, and the new day’s pleasure. The man that is an embarrassment in public, and who’s antics are only softened by his wallet. His erratic, careless and often lewd behavior cushioned from public scrutiny by his billions.” 

She remained silent, not exactly sure of what to say. 

“The invitation to your party was … kind. But you don’t want Brucie Wayne at your party. I don’t want him there. And I’d have to be that man, that careless, lewd man … around a very beautiful woman.” 

She felt the heat returning to her cheeks.

“A woman deserving of respect and admiration for her mind, kindness and strength. That man would respect none of those.” 

Looking at her hands, Karen took a moment to process this, and then slowly nodded. “You’d have to be that man … or else everyone would wonder why you weren’t yourself. And you’d be at risk.” 

“I’m sorry.”

“No, don’t be. I understand. And,” she tried a smile, but still couldn’t meet his eyes again, “I appreciate you playing bouncer to a … flirty billionaire.”

Snorting softly, Bruce shook his head. “Flirty would be the small of it, I think, given the reputation that proceeds it.”

“Yeah, and god knows I’d probably have to slap you.”

“It wouldn’t be the first time.”

“By a Kryptonian? Did you make a pass at Clark at some point? Furthermore, does Lois know?”

This got an outright laugh from him, and her smile finally turned genuine. “No, but I’m familiar with how much strength is found within Kryptonian DNA.”

“Thank you, Bruce. For taking the time to explain.”

“You deserved an explanation. I’m sorry it took me this long to get it out.”

She shrugged, brushing a bit of her hair behind her ear. “It’s cleared things up for me, that’s really what I’m most grateful for.”

His head tilted, his expression going curious. “Oh? Besides my non reply to the invitation?”

“Yeah.” Again, she took a moment to collect her thoughts. “I thought maybe I’d overstepped. That you and I weren’t … I know you like to put some distance between yourself. Your BatSelf, anyway, and I understand. But despite that, you’re still friendly with a few on the WatchTower. And spending time with you when you helped me was nice, and … friendly.”

The only response she got from this was a slight lifting of Bruce’s head as he studied her.

“But when I talked to Alfred, I thought maybe I’d overstepped or misinterpreted that friendliness. That it was just professional, and that you didn’t think of me as a friend.”

It was obvious that this took him by some surprise, but he nodded slowly. “I see. You assumed I was giving you a polite refusal in not responding.” 

“Yep.” Another shrug, but this time she smiled a little. “And I was ok with accepting that, just so you know. Boundaries are boundaries, and I’m not one to push.”

“Thank you.”

“Of course. What are friends for?”

Bruce half smiled, and nodded again. “Well, now that we have everything settled… how have you been enjoying corporate party planning?”

Karen groaned, shaking her head as she took a seat in the nearest, and most likely very expensive sofa that also lined the walls of the hallway. “You didn’t warn me about that.”

He took a seat next to her, looking apologetic. “Sorry. How bad was it?”

“The food tasting is great, I’d do that every day if needed. The rest was, eh, but we handled it. The team being cohesive is a great help, and I’ve been applying some of your suggestions to new situations as they arise, enthusiastic party planners included. Oh! And…” she dug out her phone from her jacket, “Gave me an excuse to go shopping for a suitable dress. The sales people had me trying on a … wide array of stuff, but we finally settled on something appropriate.”

Bruce took the phone when she handed it to him, and started looking through them with polite interest. One particular dress made him stop abruptly through his scrolling, however. Karen grinned as she watched him. “Hah! Yeah, I knew this was not the Look I wanted to have for this event. Though honestly I think I look—“

“Stunning.” The dress in question was a deep blue, with a plunging neckline that went almost to her stomach. The structure of the top half of the dress, coupled with Karen’s physique, was … Bruce handed the phone back to her. 

“I was going to say ‘Not too bad’, but….” she took the phone back, and stood, an odd feeling filling her. 

Bruce also stood, and moved back to where they’d originally came from, the entrance to the manor, with her following behind. His silence made the feeling grow, filling her head with unspoken questions. 

“Let me know if you need anything beforehand.” He stopped at the door, opening it for her. 

“Sure, but I think we’ve got it all under control,” she said, pushing the questions out of her mind, for now. “So long as nothing catches fire, I’ll be happy.”

“Mmm.”

Oookay, then. Maybe he was drifting back into Off Duty But Not Really BatMode, she could take a hint. Deciding to be bold, she stepped in close, going to hug him in thanks and parting.

Imagine her surprise, however, when he met her with a kiss, lips pressing to hers, arm circling around her waist. Her response was delayed due to her shock and she was just settling into it, her hand lifting to just barely cup his cheek when he pulled back. Whatever he was going to say next was interrupted by a distance but familiar voice. 

“Master Bruce? There is a call for you, sir, from … the _primary_ line.”

Eyes meeting again, the pair regarded each other with mutually perplexed look, each clearly lost in the myriad of questions that now flooded both of their minds. But finally, Karen spoke first, voice soft. 

“Goodnight. Be safe out there.”

Bruce’s expression shifted and he nodded once. “Thank you. Goodnight.”


	9. Chapter 9

She was familiar with parties, both with the Justice Society and the League. Those kinds of functions were usually noisy, happy kinds of gatherings, with a lot of good food, stories being traded and perhaps a few “power battles” popping up from time to time. Nothing furniture breaking, but generally enjoyable to everyone watching. Karen had felt comfortable in those spaces, the conversations were mostly kept to work and the things that everyone had been dealing with while on the job. And she knew almost everyone in room.

Now, stepping into this space, it felt very different. Sure, the theming was something she agreed with, mostly blues and gold, in keeping with the company logo. And the food smelled amazing, she’d have to have one of everything when she remembered to eat. 

But besides her staff a few sparse others, she didn’t know many people here. That was the point, she knew, this party was to make people aware of the company, their goals, and … her, of course. 

The dress she’d settled on was a modest one, with no neckline exposed, but without sleeves. Sure, it hugged her curves a little, but few outfits didn’t unless they were made to be loose. She felt comfortable in it, and didn’t even mind the large bow that was now tied stylishly around her waist. 

Simon, seeing her fiddling with the bow, leaned in. “You look great, Miss Starr.” 

She gave him a smile and smoothed out the belt one last time before lifting her hands away. “Thanks, Simon. And wow, you clean up pretty nice, huh?” Her assistant was usually in a buttoned up shirt and slacks, something casual and professional, but tonight he’d opted to wear a blazer and bow tie. 

“If I ditch the tie halfway through, please don’t dock my pay.” He tugged at his collar. 

“Eh, I’d only do that if more started to come off, and the party took a weird turn.” 

“Oh. So I should cancel the Chippendales, then.”

“Ha, ha, ha. And maybe. Let’s save that to chase out stragglers.”

Someone from Karen’s team approached the pair, saying something about the photographer wanting photos in front of a few of the banners and decorations. Forcing a smile, she followed and posed as best she could. It was a little embarrassing how quickly she defaulted to her Power Girl pose, the one she’d used in League photos, but quickly settled on another she hoped looked relaxed and professional. 

“Pssst! Karen!” Someone from the party planning team was waving at her. “Your fists are clenched! Relax!!”

Oh. Right. No need for fists here, no one large and powerful in need of punching. She nodded at the request and her fingers relaxed. 

The next hour or so was a bit of a blur, mostly spent meeting people shaking hands, being led from one group to another as they mingled. A few people clearly had come to pitch stuff, but her team was on it, and quickly let them know that they’d have to set up appointments. Nothing would be signed tonight, and no promises made. 

More than ever, she appreciated her staff in these moments. It would be so easy for them to be unfocused and in “party mode”, and let her flounder through this. But here they were, managing people and even sneaking her food trays from time to time. Just letting her focus on whoever was in front of her in the moment. It relaxed her more than she could properly express. 

And then, suddenly all too soon, there was the moment that she’d been dreading the most: time for her speech. A few others would speak first, representatives from the city, etc and then it was her turn. 

This part of the event would be broadcast live online, for everyone to see. She’d expressly asked for that, to give the public a glimpse into what she and Starrware were about. Stepping up to the podium, she took a breath and focused before she began. 

“Hi. I’m Karen Starr. I’m not familiar with giving speeches, and while I don’t expect you to forgive me if this first one isn’t great, I’d ask that you at least just keep that in mind. 

I like to keep things simple, even when they’re complex. So I’ll get right to the heart of who we are, who Starrware is going to be.

The description that’s been given about is us a “progressive technology in providing solutions to the planet's environmental problems.” And that’s great, that is who we are. But what does that mean?

It means we’re trying to make life better for the planet and for the people that live on it. It means that the products and solutions that we make will take greater consideration of the environment vs the amount of money that we’re earning. There’s a misconception that any problem can be fixed with enough money thrown at it, but why make the problem at all, when there are ways to avoid it from the start?

We’re about creating things in new ways, sustainable, reusable, and useful. We’re about talking to the people that who might be using our products, to see what they need and want vs what someone just might want to sell them. We’re about creating longterm jobs that our employees can find stability in.

We’re about giving back. Giving back to our customers, and those that aren’t. I want to make sure that what we offer here aren’t just physical objects to own, but services as well. 

And that is a lot to take on, I realize. But I’m committed to giving this company, the employee and the customers my attention and time in order to achieve these goals. In the next few days, you’ll start to see a few of the things we have already in progress, as we roll out information about them. I ask you to look at them with a critical eye, ask yourselves and us, if this is really the best thing for the planet and for you. Because progress is only as good as the questions that keep it going along. We can only get better, with your help.”

Karen paused and then gave a half smile. “To everyone watching, both from home and from here, thank you. I’m just … really excited to finally be getting this thing going along. To my team so far, thank you for all of your hard work and enthusiasm. I’m banning you all from being here over the weekend, as you’ve been working so hard, and you deserve to relax. To my assistant Simon, I’m banning you from checking your work email at least until Monday. Thanks again, everyone!”

The applause started up as soon as she stepped away with a little wave and Karen gave Simon a shaky smile. “Can I be rude and … take a little break in my office for a few?”

Simon squeezed her hand. “Sure thing. And you did great, Miss Starr.”

As soon as the office door closed, she took a seat behind her desk, letting out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. While she wasn’t feeling sick, she did feel a little odd, like a bundle of jumbled nerves. She’d get better at this, over time. It was just new and unlike punching large, powerful things, wasn’t something that she was familiar with. 

She took about ten minutes to simply sit and try to think about nothing. Finally, out of habit, she reached into her purse for her phone, and spotted a missed call and voicemail. 

“I just saw the speech. You did excellent, Karen. You’ve been paying attention, learning quickly, and it’s showing. What you said tonight was genuine, earnest and to the point, and you really can’t do much better than that in your field.” There was a pause, and she heard the faint sound of a car in the background. “I might be busy the next few days, but you can reach out if you need guidance. I’ll let you know if I can help.”

Another pause. “That dress looks beautiful on you, Karen. Goodnight, and enjoy the rest of your evening.”

The smile on her face came easily and she tucked away the phone back into her purse. Feeling better, and less like a bundle of nerves, she felt like she could return to the party. Bruce’s praise of her speech helped, and what he’d said about it had been what she’d been going for. 

And the comment about her dress? Her thoughts traveled back to the last time she’d seen him, and the brief kiss. The questions she’d have for him the next time they met, might not be about business…


	10. Chapter 10

The party now behind her, Karen’s mind had of course turned back to the company she was now going to run, but other things as well. Adapting to being a person who was out in the world without a costume on was something different. And the more she stepped into this role, the more became clear about how she liked to live her life, inside and outside of work. 

She enjoyed being at the office. She enjoyed the meetings with her team, but had found it hard to join them when they talked about making plans for going out together after work. Of course, it was flattering that they’d actually ask her, considering that she was their employer. She had kindly turned them down except for one day they’d hit up a taco place to celebrate a new contract coming in. 

It was better, she thought, to give them space to know each other, outside of here, without her presence. They gave so much to Starrware already, and she didn’t want to infringe by seeming to ask for more. And honestly, she enjoyed the quiet of her apartment, the warm ball of fuzz that was her cat, and even just being alone with herself. 

Being alone gave her time to ponder over a lingering question: What was the actual details in what was going on with her and Bruce? It had been about a month since they’d last spoken, he’d briefly called her to wish her in person congratulations about the contract that Starrware had been selected for.

But the Bruce conundrum had stayed in the back of her mind while she dove into this role, into this new life. With this new perspective on what she wanted out of a life as Karen Starr, maybe it was time to get this settled, or at least, get the discussion going. 

The message sent to him was simple: Do you have some time to chat? Nothing about work this time.Bruce returned her call the following day, sometime in the afternoon. “Just getting up?” She asked, voice teasing. 

“No, I only slept until 10 in the morning today,” he replied, tone dry.

“Damn, at this rate, you’ll be up with the rest of us at 6am in no time.” Karen settled herself on her couch, the cat immediately coming to claim her lap. Honestly she was glad for the distraction, her hands trailing over and through the fur. “The last time we saw each other, I think a few things were left unresolved.”

“Ah. I wondered if that was what this call was about. I apologize if I’ve made things uncomfortable for you after that.”

“No, I would have said something sooner, believe me.” Karen scratched behind Stinky’s ears, getting up the nerve to say this. “The fact is, I think I’ve realized something about myself the past month or so, in regards to what I want. In both my personal life, my work life and then … my other work life.”

“And that is?”“I like my time alone. But I also enjoy being with someone sometimes. I don’t know how to describe it exactly, and I’m trying to figure out if it’s as selfish as it sounds when I say it out loud.”

“It doesn’t sound selfish. It’s an expression of who you are. Perhaps what you’re feeling is coming from a place of not wanting to hurt someone who is looking for something else, something different than what you are.”

Karen nodded slowly, rubbing under the cat’s chin now. “Despite there being attraction between those two people, yeah.”

“Mmm.” 

“And of course, yes, I’m referring to us in this instance. I … there is an attraction here, Bruce. But honestly, I don’t know what you’re looking for in a relationship, and I don’t want to be the kind of person that strings you along, making you hope for something. And I also don’t want to assume how you feel about this, and I don’t want to—“ she cut herself off, letting out a frustrated sigh. “I’m sorry, I should have written this out on notecards.”

There was a faint snort from the other end of the line. “Karen, you’re doing fine. The honesty is appreciated more than you know. It sounds to me that what you prefer when it comes to a relationship is something casual and yet also intimate.”

“Phrasing it that way makes me think of creepy newspaper solicitations,” she said, sounding glum. “But hang on… I this is helping, I think.” She took a breath. “Maybe it doesn’t need a definition. Maybe I can’t express it because I’m just using the words that other people use to describe what they want in a relationship. Like … trying to put together a picture from puzzle pieces from another puzzle.”

“Does thinking about it that way still make it seem selfish to you?”

“No. No, it doesn’t,” she admitted. “What works for me works for me and …. That’s what matters most.”

“Then I’m glad.”

“I’m sorry if this … if this makes things awkward.”

“It doesn’t. I’m very much the same way.”

“Oh?”

“It’s something I’ve struggled with myself for a number of years now. It’s the reason that—“ Bruce stopped, and there was a lengthy silence on his side of the line. “Unlike you, I tried to force something that wasn’t there, and wouldn’t be there, because of that attraction. I told myself that in time, things would change, but they never did. And that was incredibly unfair to the other persons involved. Because I wasn’t able give an honest version of myself, I gave those others a false idea of what to expect. That was selfish, the prioritization of being with someone over being honest with myself and them.”

“I’m so sorry,” she murmured. 

“Don’t be. I know who I am now, and I know myself honestly enough to express that. We’re both busy people, dealing with triple lives. And we both thrive on that, I think. That comes with a cost, the cost being someone who can be there with another someone every night of the week. Maybe we can only have that once week, or a month. But when there’s that time, it’s enough, because we can have it in that moment.”

To anyone else, she realized, this would sound crazy. Things would be reversed as the person tried to formulate their version of happiness within a relationship with her and Bruce’s puzzles pieces, and finding only gaps that would make it hell on earth.

But to her ears right now, it sounded like heaven.

“Then you’ll take me to dinner in a month?” She asked, a smile forming. 

“Two months, if I’m lucky. Next month is October, and things will be chaos here during this month and the cleanup after the 31st.” 

“Two months it is. You’ll have to come here for dinner, what with your famous face. And I can wear that blue dress.”

“I’m perfectly fine with both of those things, one more than the other.”

Both of their League comms pinged at the same time. Karen felt the surge of energy that she always did whenever she was about to suit up and head out. And she knew that despite Batman’s stoic demeanor, Bruce felt a bit of that as well. Maybe this would work, and as Bruce said, at least they could be honest about themselves together. 

And save the world. That was always nice too. 

The End.


End file.
